Text:
Isaiah 6:1-8:
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, mand with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Theme:
Actions and Reactions
Introduction:
- The Book of Isaiah is the first of the books of the major prophets of the Old Testament.
- Isaiah prophesies from the reign of Uzziah to the reign of Hezekiah.
- Isaiah writes this book of prophecy within the context of a struggling people. The people of Israel are in their second exile in the land of Babylonia and even this setting is being threatened by the looming power of Persia. Judah has been destroyed. The temple lay in ruins. Now the people are beginning to believe that the gods of Babylonia are more powerful than God, Himself. The people were in need of a Word from the Lord.
- God was there but they could not see Him.
- God was speaking but they could not hear Him.
- God was moving but they could not feel Him.
- God was feeding them with the experience of His Word but their spirit could not taste Him.
- The text specifically addresses the Calling and Choosing of Isaiah
- As it says in Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” We are all called to salvation, but a special few are chosen to be a part of the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s Preacher is CHOSEN.
- God provides the CALLING regardless of our REPENTANCE unto salvation.
- The CALLED are those whom God shows mercy toward
- Matthew 5:45, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
- The CHOSEN are those who heed to God’s call and satisfy His requirements…God’s Preacher!
- 2Thessalonians 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
- As it says in Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” We are all called to salvation, but a special few are chosen to be a part of the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s Preacher is CHOSEN.
- Isaiah was a Called and Chosen vessel of God through the ACTION of God on Isaiah’s behalf
- How has God acted on our behalf?
- Creation
- Genesis 1:1-2, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
- Salvation
- John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- Restoration
- 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
- Creation
- How has God acted on our behalf?
- However, there must also be the REACTION of the “vessel” in acceptance of God’s ACTION
- NOTE: Newton’s Third Law of Physics à Every action requires an equal and opposite reaction
- “Equal and opposite reaction”
- Jesus explained in Matthew 5:48 when He said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
- Jesus supported this principle and our potential when he said in John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
- “Equal and opposite reaction”
- What is typically our REACTION to God’s ACTION?
- As in Judges 2:17, we turn from God, “And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.”
- We react in theft in Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”
- Then Job reacted with disrespect as God responded in Job 38:4, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.”
- So, how are we supposed to REACT to God’s ACTIONS?
- NOTE: Newton’s Third Law of Physics à Every action requires an equal and opposite reaction
Body:
- Let us look at our text to see the ACTIONS by God and the REACTIONS by Isaiah:
- God’s Action à “In the year that king Uzziah died”
- God moves what hinders our having a relationship with Him.
- Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
- King Uzziah represented times of plenty for Isaiah. When King Uzziah was alive, Isaiah didn’t feel the need of God! Uzziah had to die before Isaiah could see God.
- When things are going well we don’t call on God.
- When things are bad, we call on God all the time for help.
- God chooses us out of our whale, furnace, or bed of affliction.
- Isaiah 48:10, “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”
- God moves what hinders our having a relationship with Him.
- Isaiah’s Reaction 1 à “I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne”
- “I saw”
- “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I’m found…was blind but now I see”
- “ALSO”
- Amidst the wrongdoing, amidst the ugly attitudes, amidst the backstabbing, amidst the killing, amidst the lying, amidst the hatred, amidst the thievery, amidst the disappointment, amidst the fear, amidst the pain, amidst the sadness…Isaiah ALSO saw the Lord.
- God does not take away our trials and tribulations…He just makes Himself BIGGER than all the rest!
- Romans 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
- God does not take away our trials and tribulations…He just makes Himself BIGGER than all the rest!
- Amidst the wrongdoing, amidst the ugly attitudes, amidst the backstabbing, amidst the killing, amidst the lying, amidst the hatred, amidst the thievery, amidst the disappointment, amidst the fear, amidst the pain, amidst the sadness…Isaiah ALSO saw the Lord.
- “I saw”
- Isaiah’s Reaction 2 à “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips”
- There is Conviction
- The realization and acceptance that I am GUILTY!
- Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
- Paul brought it home when he said in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
- There is Repentance
- Turn from Sin!!
- Ezekiel 33:11, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
- There is Penitence
- The spirit in which one repents of their sin
- Psalms 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
- The spirit in which one repents of their sin
- There is Conviction
- God’s Action 1 à “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand,.. And he laid it upon my mouth”
- The “fire” is the only thing that can cleanse us!
- Job said in Job 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
- Zechariah 13:9, “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.”
- 1 Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
- The “fire” is the only thing that can cleanse us!
- God’s Action 2 à “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
- The Call of God à There are two types of “callings” from God
- The Call to live right
- 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
- The Call to service
- 2 Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
- The Call to live right
- The Call of God à There are two types of “callings” from God
- Isaiah’s Reaction 1 à “Then said I, Here am I;”
- As paraphrased in the precious instruction of Eli to the young Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:9, “ Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth.”
- Be in the right place for God to bless you!!
- God wants AVAILABILITY and not CAPABILITY!
- Don’t be caught in the ______ when God calls!!
- Isaiah’s Reaction 1 à “send me”
- The greatest of all reactions!!! Isaiah was WILLING to go, to work, to live for God!
- God’s Action à “In the year that king Uzziah died”
Conclusion:
- One Tuesday morning, May 2, 1987, God touched my spirit and I said, Send ME!!
- God acted on my life, and I reacted by giving Him my life!!!
- I Repented of my sin
- I Believed on Jesus Christ as my Savior
- I Committed my life to glorifying Him
- Now, in Christ, I can give other reactions:
- I can Sing
- I can Pray
- I can Shout
- I can Testify
- We need to let it out for God!!!
- Luke 19:40, “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
- Finally, the general term for reaction rendered is an ANSWER
- God acted on my life, and I reacted by giving Him my life!!!
When He calls me, I will answer.
When He calls me, I will answer.
When He calls me, I will answer.
I’ll be somewhere listening for my name!!!!!!
#248